13 ways of looking at a Woodward

9/10/12 2:39 PM EDT

Kevin Smith, spokesman for House Speaker John Boehner:

[Bob Woodward's "The Price of Politics"] confirms previous reporting about how the speaker, majority leader, and the president had a framework of a deal on tax and entitlement reform, and then the president moved the goal posts and lost his courage. Presidents have a responsibility to lead, and this president has failed the test of leadership when it comes to creating jobs and addressing our debt crisis.

Jay Carney, White House press secretary:

"There is no question that the president, during those negotiations, had to be the responsible party and ensure that however they ended, they prevented default. Second, he pursued a grand bargain with Speaker Boehner ... and he demonstrated again and again through that process that he was willing to compromise. ... And unfortunately, throughout that process, whenever the possibility of a grand bargain seemed in the offing... every time that became a possibility, the House Republicans walked away."